I live to see you in the mornin’
Like waking into a dream
Twin lakes of blue love adorning
A face poured from the pure moonbeams
With a smile that, like wine,
Brings the fire back to mine
If I ask for a sign that it’s real
God, if God there may be,
Would just shake his head at me
And demand a doubter’s fee for thee, Camille.
Old suspicions and fears
That’ve plagued me for years
From old poison-tipped spears of betrayal
All dissolve in the face
Of your honesty and grace
And the therapy of your embrace, Camille.
I’ve been on top of the summit.
Been in the depths of the sea.
And all that I’ve gotten from it
Ain’t worth a handful of thee
I would trade every crutch,
Every wild oat, as such,
For your curative touch and appeal
Loose the mooring of rote,
Set my weathered ship afloat
In the waters of my doting, Sweet Camille
And we’ll chart a course
To indulge and endorse
All this love, and its source to regale
Till we sail to a shore
Of a land that’s wild and pure
Where the anthem evermore is “My Camille”
I know I ain’t no great thinker.
Still I think I can see
The custom craftsmanship of heaven
Whenever you’re in front of me
Did the Maker foresee
All the mischief in me
Self-destruct and, for balance, instill
Wealth of beauty and gentleness,
Angel elegance,
All in you, or else by accident, Camille?
And when all that remains
Of my body and brains
Is a gleam on my soul’s windowsill
In between, come what may,
On my last, dying day
I will sputter, if not say, “Ooooweee, Camille!”